Having a baby is a time of joy and eager anticipation. Or should be. Unfortunately for many expecting mothers, pregnancy becomes a stressful struggle–not for the obvious reasons pertaining to the physical and emotional demands on a woman’s body, but because of the anxiety over paying the astronomical health bills associated with having a baby.
Expectant mom Ester Bloom recently wrote an article for The Atlantic discussing these problems as a second-time mother. Her first pregnancy, she noted, was relatively stress-free when it came to paying for the individual tests, stating both her and her husband “enjoyed benefit packages that included health insurance.” As a result, she didn’t think twice about all the tests and what they were actually for, noting that her doctor didn’t even ask her permission for most tests:
“She didn’t ask me if I was interested in tests; she proceeded on the assumption that I wanted the best informed, most monitored pregnancy the money of my insurance company could buy. She piled on the screenings and the sonograms.”
Of course, several years after, she and her husband no longer have the same coverage, having decided to venture into different career paths, she as a freelance writer. So, they did the only thing they could and opted for Obamacare via Oscar, which means they pay “only” $500 a month for basic coverage up to a $3,000 deductible.
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So, when it’s broken down, it looks more like this: They pay 50% primary care; 50% specialist; 50% urgent care; 50% emergency. Which comes down to $755 a month including coverage for their daughter.
Now, what does this all mean for moms on Obamacare? It means possibly foregoing tests, such as finding out whether the baby will be a boy or girl. In general, it could cost anywhere from $9,000 to $250,000 to carry a baby to term and give birth–a huge range that indicates if a mother has complications, the costs could be exorbitant, according to WebMD and The Bump.
Which basically means: Yes, it’s possible to have a baby on Obamacare, if nothing goes awry. Expectant moms, pray that your pregnancy won’t have any complications. Otherwise, your life is about to get really, really hard.
